Rubber swimming-glove.



J. W. COPELAND & E. HAMILTON.

RUBBER SWIMMING GLOVE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES v INVENTOkS c/al "ms Mgae/and 0/7/ Patented N01.7,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 v INVENTORS c/ 8.777 M 60 Oe/0/7Q 9 flaw/72 JAMES WILLIAM COPELAND AND EDWARD HAMILTZON, W YNNE, ARKANSAS.

RUBBER SWIMMING-GLOLVE.

Specification of Let'terslPatent. Application filed August 10, 19 11. I Serial No. 643,271.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES W. COPE" :LAND and EDWARD HAMILTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Wynne, in

the county of Cross and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rubber Swimming-Gloves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to new and useful improvements in rubberswimming gloves and the main object thereof is to provide a device of this nature that will facilitate swimming.

The glove is on the same principle; as a ducks foot, resilient means being employed to hold the fingers cf the hand separated so as to enable the swimmer to obtain the greatest possible surface with the hand with which to offer the greatest amount of resistance possible to the passage of the water, during the backward stroke of the hand. Duringthe forward stroke of'the hand the same may be closed against the action of said resilient means and drawn forward so asto offer the least possible resistance to the water. I

A further object of our invention is to provide means whereby the glove may be simply held to the hand. y

With the foregoing-and other objects in view our invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as are described in this specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof and particularly pointed out in the appended c aims.

Reference being had to the drawings, Figure l is a front, elevational view of our glove shown in open position, attached to the hand. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of the parts utilized in the construction of said glove, said parts being separated. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the glove, illustrating that part which* encircles and is secured to the wrist, the means whereby said glove is secured to the wrist being also illustrated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like numerals designate like parts throughout, our invention is described as follows: s

The glove is formed of two pieces of rub- 1 her 1 and 2. Said piece 1 is cut so as to conform to the shape of the hand and fingers thereof and is stitched, sewed, or secured in some substantial manner to. the, part 2 so that a glove as illustrated in Fig. 1 will be provided, leaving webs 3 between each two adjacent fingers 4 and between the index finger and the thumb 5. Flat metallic springs 6 of the desired tension are pro-- vided within the interior of the glove, the

Patented Nov. 7,1911. v

free ends of said springs extending into and contacting the adjacent walls of corre spending fingers. The purpose of said sprlng is obviously to aid the swimmerin keeping the fingers of his hand spread apart during the backward stroke thereof. The

advantage of this will readily be seenwhen it is remembered that the tendency ofiaswimmer is to close the hand during the backward stroke thereof when no glove is employed. The springs are of such strength that the swimmer will readily close thehand against theaction thereof during the' forward stroke of the hand. A hem 7 is provided at the wrist of the glove, into which hem is provided a resilient band of rubber 8, which band will cause the wrist portion of said glove to snugly fitthe wrist, thereby preventing the passage of water thereinto. A wrist strap 9 of desired and suitable material is provided, which is secured to the outer surface of the glove at 10 at its inner end, a button 11 being secured to said end of the strap to which is secured the outer end 12 of said strap after the same has been passed around the wrist once or twice as is desired, the number of times said strap is passed around the wrist depending uponthe length at which it is constructed Although we have specifically described the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts of our invention yet we do not confine ourselves to such specific construction, combination and arrangement but reserve and may exercise the right to make such changes therein as do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended I claims.

Having described our invention, what we I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

lLIn a rubber swimming. glove of the class described, the combination of one piece fingers, said first-named piece adapted to be secured to the second-named piece leaving webs between each two adjacent fingers of the hand and the index finger andthe thumb, resilient means provided between each two adjacent fingers and the index finger and the thumb to aid in securing the fingers and thumb spread apart during the backward stroke of the hand in swimming.

2. In a rubber swimming glove of the class described, the combination of one piece of rubber out to conform to the shape of the hand and fingers when in open position, with a second piece cut to conform to the open hand with the fingers extended n'o provision being made for the space between the fingers, said first'named piece adapted to be secured to the second-named piece leaving webs between each two adjacent fingers of mean? the hand and the index finger and the thumb, resilient means provided between each two adjacent fingers and the index finger and the thumb to aid in securing the fingers and thumb spread apart during the backward stroke of the hand in swimming, said resilient means comprising fiat metallic springs, the free ends of each extending into and contacting adjacent walls of corresponding fingers of the glove, and means to secure the glove to the hand in a substantial manner. p

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM COPELAND- EDWARD HAMILTON. Witnesses:

D. K. DUNN, B. F. HAMILTON. 

